I have never understood the meaning of a late charge in the video rental industry. If you rent a movie it is for a set period of time. If you bring it back "late" they charge you for another period of time. Why call it a late fee when it is a rental fee for another time period?
To make a point. Netflix advertises that there is no "late fee". But you must remain a member and pay a monthly charge to keep a video. If you decide to keep your current videos for the rest of your life, you would pay a monthly fee for the rest of your life. Isn’t this the same "cost" as a "late fee"?
I do agree that the cost of the mail vs video store is cheaper. I am just disagreeing with terminology.